The day John Lennon died 35 years ago was also the day he gave his final interview, with Westwood One News. The radio interview was recorded a few hours before Mark David Chapman fatally shot the musician on Dec. 8, 1980, outside of Lennon’s apartment building in New York City.
In the interview, the former Beatle spoke of his desire for happiness and his creative process while recording “Double Fantasy” with his wife Yoko Ono.
“I would like to be a happy, contented person,” Lennon said. “I don’t want to have to sell my soul again to have a hit record.”
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Trump’s Message Worked on Latino Men
- What Trump’s Win Could Mean for Housing
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Sleep Doctors Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives
- Column: Let’s Bring Back Romance
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com